novelraw Chapter 57: The Lost Island (3)
Chapter 57: The Lost Island (3)
Verso walked at the back of the group alongside Han, following the formation that they had agreed upon before entering the rift.
Up ahead, the sound of boots hitting wet sand was suddenly overtaken by Moon’s irritating laughter.
"The scum really made a move on you, Lua! Bold, truly bold!" Moon called out, his voice dripping with mocking admiration.
Verso kept his head down, but he could practically feel the heat radiating from Lua’s back.
The red eyed girl’s eyes were twitching as she shot a side eye over her shoulder, her eyes flaring with enough bloodlust that it could kill someone.
"I promise it was an accident!" Verso said, his voice straining with helplessness.
"That’s enough, my friends. Let us focus on the task at hand. We are nearly at the cove." Han interrupted the group’s shenanigans.
Han looked toward Moon as if signaling that the play time was over.
Moon shrugged, his playful demeanor receding into deep focus as they approached the mouth of the dark rocky cove.
"Okay then. Let me send in my summon to scout first."
Moon flicked his wrist, and a small tear in space opened near his feet as a strange, metallic looking spider the size of a small child crawled out of it.
It moved with unnatural speed, its many legs clicking against the damp rocks as it disappeared into the shadows of the cove.
’A scout, huh?’ Verso watched the tiny spider vanish.
He had learned about summoners using lower tier creatures for reconnaissance, but because of his Realm Menu and the way he could not die in his dreams, he had never felt the need for it.
To him, scouting usually meant walking in and dying until he figured out a concrete pattern.
So seeing Moon’s calculated approach was a reminder that these clan kids were trained with proper high level tactics.
Speaking of the System, a flicker of blue caught Verso’s eye. A window appeared, visible only to him.
[Download Complete! ’The Lost Island’ is Now Available in The Realm Menu.]
Verso’s heart skipped a beat.
The notification that the realm was downloading popped up the moment they had landed on the beach, and now the download was finally finished.
This meant that the next time he closed his eyes, he could explore the Lost Island in his dreams and farm the Elite Sirens, adding them into his ever growing collection of summons.
’Not like I can test it out right now.’ He thought, glancing at his teammates.
They were all still standing in their designated positions but now they had their weapons drawn out while they waited for the spider’s report.
For the first time, Verso took a moment to truly inspect the gear his companions were carrying. He realized that they weren’t just stacked but instead they looked like they were outfitted by a national treasury.
Xavier held his Lightning Spear, the same one he had used during their duel. Its tip crackling with electricity as it gave out a low but dangerous hum.
Moon, leading the front, held a massive two handed greatsword in one hand as if it weighed nothing. The blade looked worn out as the edge was nicked and its surface darkened by age. But still somehow it gave off a heavy, oppressive energy that made Verso’s skin crawl.
’I don’t even want to find out what this crazy bastard is using.’ He thought as he slowly turned to look at Lua.
Lua, who was standing to the right, held a slender rapier. The blade was a translucent, crystal like red, as if it had been forged from a single, frozen drop of blood. It pulsed faintly timed with her breath.
’What about Han?’
Out of curiosity, Verso turned his head to look at the boy beside him. He froze, his eyebrow twitching.
Han was holding what could only be described as an ornate, oversized revolver made of solid, polished gold. The barrel was etched with ancient runes that didn’t match the weapon’s modern shape.
’A cultivator with a gun...’
Verso stared at the boy, unsure if he should laugh or be terrified. Considering Han wore a flowing, ancient black robe and spoke like a protagonist from a cultivation novel, the sight of him gripping a gold plated six shooter was absurd.
Before Verso could ask if the weapon actually shot bullets or mana, Moon raised his hand.
His spider came scuttling back out of the shadows and climbed up his leg, disappearing into his shadow.
"I think we should be fine for another two hundred meters before we face the first Siren." Moon reported, his eyes fixed on the dark entrance.
The group shifted, the tension in air rising as they prepared to move into the cove.
Verso knew he could not just stand in the back and watch this time. If he wanted to justify his place in this team, he had to prove he wasn’t just scum being carried by the four elites.
He made the first move. Flicking his wrist, he opened his own summoning gate.
A dull, heavy rumble vibrated through the sand as two massive forms manifested in front of the group.
The Primitive Golems stood seven feet tall, their bodies composed of jagged gray stone. Although they weren’t the strongest beasts, their sheer size and weight still commanded some respect.
"Oh?" Moon looked back, a small, intrigued chuckle escaping his lips.
"The scum has a few tricks up his sleeve after all."
Moon’s eyes lingered on the golems, likely measuring their ranks. He clearly had not expected a commoner like Verso to take out two peak primitive beasts as if they were disposables.
To everyone’s surprise, Xavier was the one who replied. The blonde silent boy did not look back at Verso, his eyes remaining fixed on the cove ahead, but his voice was cold.
"Trust me," Xavier said, his grip tightening on his lightning spear. "I know."
Xavier’s words were enough for the group to understand that the both of them had some history as they all turned to look at Verso with curiosity in their eyes.
Verso ignored the looks that the group was giving him as he commanded his golems forward.
’The hunt has begun.’